Power-operated window-lifting device



'. 28, 1943. H, D. BROTMAN ET AL- 2,337,867

POWER OPERATED WINDOW LIFTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 27, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 1 27 2a Z6 l2 88 e 69 "g5 A70 De- 28, 1943- H. D. BROTMAN ETAL l A2,337,867

POWER OPERATED WINDOW LIFTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 2'7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 28, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE POWER-OPERATED WINDOW-LIFTIG DEVICE Michigan l Application December 27, 1941, Serial No. 424,584

10 Claims. (Cl. 268-124) This invention relates to Window-lifting devices and in particular to power-operated window-lifting devices for motor vehicles.

One object of this invention is to provide a power-operated window-lifting device which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured by mass production methods and which may be optionally power-driven or hand-operated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a power-operated window-lifting device wherein the window pane is supported upon a carriage which is movable up and down on guideways.

Another object is to provide a power-operated window-lifting device as set forth in the preceding object wherein the carriage is raised and lowered by a screw shaft operated by a motor, preferably an electric motor.

Another object is to provide a power-operated window-lifting device wherein the window pane is supported upon a vertically movable carriage having anti-friction bearings between it and vertical guides, power-operated means being provided for moving the carriage up and down along the guides.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a preferred embodiment of the Window-lifting device of this invention.

Figure 2 is a left-hand side elevation of the window-lifting device of Figure 1, with the window pane in section.

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-section along the line 3-3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section along the line 4--4 in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section along the line 5 5 in Figure l.

lFigure 6 is a vertical section along the line 6-6 in Figure 1.

Figure '7 is a vertical section along the line 'I-' I in Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a horizontal section along the line 8 8 in Figure 1.

In general, the window-lifting device of this invention consists of a pair of grooved vertical guide rails secured by brackets to the interior of the door or automobile body. The guide rails are preferably integral with a back plate, and serve as runways for anti-friction ball bearings mounted in a carriage which is movable vertically up and down along the guide rails, the ball bear' ings reducing friction therebetween. The carriage is provided with a threaded bore serving as a nut threadedlyv engaged by a screw shaft which is rotated by an electric motor through a reduction gear box. The upper end of the carriage is provided with a support for the lower edge of the window pane. The motor is preferably a reversible electric motor so that the screw shaft is rotated in one direction or the other to raise and lower the carriage and window pane according to the position of a reversing switch which energizes the motor.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures 1 and 2 show the outer and inner panels I0 and I I of an automobile door or body having spaced parallel edges I2 and I3 at the top thereof deflning the opening for a window pane l5 which is mounted in an edge frame I6 with a resilient packing Il therebetween. The resilient packing Il is preferably of rubber or rubber-like material and serves to cushion the window pane I5 in its edge-frame I6.

Secured as at I8 to the panel II is a horizontal bracket I9 to which a guiding member generally designated 2D is secured as at 2|. 'Ihe guide member 20 consists of a back 22 terminating at its lower end in'a bent portion 23 by which it is secured to the bracket I9. At its upper end the guide member 20 is secured as at 24 to a straight bracket 25 which in turn is secured as at 25a to the inner panel II.

The guide member 20 is provided with vertical grooved guide rails 26 formed integral with the back 22 and extending like vertical flanges therealong. The guide rails 26 are provided with vertical grooves 2'I (Figure 3) which serve as racev ways for antifriction ball bearings 28.

Slidable up and down along the guideways 26 is a carriage 29 having on one side 30 recesses 3| for receiving the ball bearings 28 on one side and having apertures 32 (Figure 4) through which the Ball bearings in the other side 33' project and are held in position by spring iingers 34 secured by the bar 35 and rivets 36 to the side 33 of the carriage 29. The carriage sides 3U and 33 are formed substantially at right angles to the carriage back 36, and approximately parallel with the guide rails 26. Secured as at- 31 to the upper end of the carriage 29 is an angle bracket 38 having a horizontal portion 39 which serves as a shelf for supporting the edge frame I6 of the window pane I5 (Figures 1 and 6). Also secured as at 40 to the carriage back 36 (Figure 5) is a strap 4I which encircles an annular 4groove 42 in a nut 43 (Figures 5 and 6), the

latter having anl internally threaded bore 44 and a notch 45 (Figure 6) which is engaged by an inwardly bent iinger 46 struck out of the carriage 29 and serving as a detent to prevent rotation of the nut 43.

Threaded through the nut 43 is a screw shaft 41 having a reduced diameter upper portion 48 rotatably supported in a bearing bushing 49 which is held as at 58 between a bracket 5| and a bent strap 52 (Figure 3), Vthe bracket 5| being likewise secured as at 26 to the back 22 of the guide member 20. To accomodate the screw shaft 41, the back 22 is provided with a vertical slot 53' (Figure l), this slot terminating in an aperture 54 formed in part by an inwardly bent portion 55 servingvas a shelf for supporting the reduction gear set generally designated 56, of which the lower portion 51 of the screw shaft 41 serves as the output shaft. The screw shaft portion 51 carries a gear 58 (Figures 7 and 8), the shaft portion 51 being provided with a flattened part 59 and the gear 58 with a flat sided aperture 68 to provide a positive driving connection. The lower end 6| of the shaft portion 51 is still further reduced in diameter and passes through a self-aligning bearing bushing 62 (Figure '1) having a spherical outer portion 63 seated in a spherical socket 64 formed in the lower wall of the gear box 'E5 and held in place by an annular retaining member 66 secured thereto as at 61. The end portion 6l of the shaft 51 engages the rounded head of a thrust screw 68 threaded through an L-shaped bracket 69 which is secured as by welding to the back 22 of the guide member 28 and is locked in position by a lock nut 10. The 'gear box 65 is anchored as at 1I to the shelf 55 (Figure 7) Meshing with the gear 58 is a worm 12 forming a portion of the worm shaft 13 (Figure 8) and having its opposite ends mounted in the selfaligning bearings 14 seated in spherical recesses ,15 in the gear box 65 and held in position by the retaining members 16 and retaining rings 16a secured as at 11 to the casing 65. The worm shaft 13 is annularly grooved as at 18 and is also'shouldered as at19, the shoulder 19 and a retaining member 8D engaging the groove 18 preventing endwise motion of the screw shaft 13.

The worm shaft 13 is provided with an end ,slot 8| which receives one end of a spiral spring 82, the opposite end of which is seated inasimilar slot 83 in the end of the motor shaft 841eading to the electric motor 85. The latter is of a reversible type with terminals 86 and 81 for the connection of an energization circuit including a reversing switch (not shown) by which the direction tion.

If hand operation becomes desirable or necesthe window pane, an internally threaded member connected to said carriage, a vertical screw shaft journaled at its ends at the top and bottom of said guide member and threadedly engaging said threaded member, a reversible electric motor mounted on said bracket. and reduction gearing located in an aperture in the lower end of the guide member operatively connecting said motor and drivingly connecting said screw shaft.

2. In a window-lifting device, an elongated vertical guide member having parallel oppositely-disposed edge guide flanges at each side thereof with bearing raceways thereon, a carriage connected to the window pane and having depressed bearing holders thereon, anti-friction bearing elements in said depressed bearing holders engaging said bearing raceways, an internally-threaded member connected to said carriage, a screw shaft threadedly engaging said threaded member having its ends journaledat the top and bottom of the vertical guide, and means wholly supported von the lower end of the guide member for rotating said screw shaft.

3. In a window-lifting device, an elongated vertical guide member having parallel oppositely-disposed edge guide flanges at each side thereof with bearing raceways thereon, a carriage connected to the window pane and having depressed bearing holders thereon, anti-friction bearing elements in said depressed bearing holders engaging said bearing raceways, an internally-threaded member connected to said carriage, a screw shaft threadedly engaging said threaded member, and a reversible electric motor wholly supported on the lower end of the vertical guide member. drivingly and operatively connected to said screw shaft.

4. In a window-lifting device, a Vertical guide member having vertically-extending grooved guide ange portions at each side thereof, antifriction bearing elements slidably engaging within said grooves of said guide flange portions, a carriage having bearing element receiving depressions lvertically reciprocable along said grooved guide flange portions and having a portion supportingly connected to the window pane,y and means wholly supported by the guide member for vertically reciprocating said carriage.

.5. In a window-lifting device, a vertical guide member having rvertically-extendinggrooved guide flange portions at each side thereof, antifriction bearing elements slidably engaging within the grooves of said guide flange portions, a carriage having bearing element receiving depressions' for retaining said anti-friction bearing elements between said carriage and flanges during the vertically reciprocable movement of said carriage along said guide portions and having a portion supportingly connected to the wndow pane, means for vertically reciprocating said carriage, and power-means wholly supported 'by the lower end of the vertical guide member for drivinglyoperating said carriage-reciprocatsary, the motor 85, worm 12 and gear 58 may be omitted or removed and gearing operated by a hand crank-substituted.

What we claim is: A 1. In a window-lifting device; .a

vertical guide-'- member having its lower end supported in spaced ing means.

l A 6. In a window-lifting device, a vertical guide member having vertically-extending grooved guide flange portions at each side thereof, antifriction bearing elements engaging said guide portions, a carriage having siderilanges extending over said'guide flange portions provided with bearing element receiving depressions, saidA car- 1 riage being slidable and vertically reciprocable along said guide flange portions and having a portion supportingly connected to the window pane, an internally threaded member connected to said carriage, a screw shaft journalled at its ends to the upper and lower portions of the vertical guide member threadedly engaging said threaded member, and means wholly supported on the lower end of the vertical guide member drivingly connected to said screw shaft.

7. In a window-lifting device, a vertical guide member having vertically-extending grooved guide iiange portions at each side thereof, antifriction bearing elements engaging said guide portions, a carriage having side flanges with bearing element receiving depressions for retaining said bearing elements between said carriage and side ange portions during the vertically reciprocable movement thereof along said grooved guide iiange portions, said carriage hav ing a portion supportingly connected to the window pane, an internally threaded member connected to said carriage between the grooved side portions, a screw shaft threadedly engaging said threaded member, and power-operated means wholly supported on the lower end of the vertical guide member oiset from the lower end of said guide member for rotating said screw shaft.

8. In a window-lifting device, a vertical guide member having vertically extending grooved guide ange portions at each side thereof, antifriction bearing elements mounted in said guide portions, a carriage having sidetlanges engaging over said guide flanges and provided with bearing element receiving depressions, said carriage being vertically reciprocable along said guide ange portions and having a portion supportingly 'connected to the window pane, and means wholly supported on the lower end of the vertical guide member for vertically reciprocating said carriage.

9. In a window-lifting device, a vertical guide member having vertically extending grooved guide ange portions along each edge thereof, anti-friction bearing elements mounted in said guide portions, a carriage having side flanges overlapping said guide yflanges provided with bearing element receiving depressions and recesses, said carriage being vertically reciprocable along said guide flange portions and having a portion supportingly connected to the window pane, means for vertically reciprocating saidcarriage, and power-operated means wholly supported on the lower end of the vertical guide member for operating said carriage-reciprocating means.

10. In a window-lifting device, a vertical guide member having vertically-extending grooved guide flange portions at each side thereof, antifriction bearing elements mounted in said guide portions, a carriage having side anges overlapping said guide anges provided with bearing element receiving depressions, said carriage being vertically reciprocable along said guide portions with the bearing elements therebetween and having a portion supportingly connected to the window pane, means for vertically recipro- HYMAN D. BROTMAN. ISABEL D. WESTROPE, Administratria: of the Estate of Frederick J.

Westrope, Deceased. 

